IL Magazine: Discover the World's Best Retirement Haven for 2022 + 24 more
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Getting a bit greedy, perhaps, I extended my search from Panama City to the beaches nearby. An attractive apartment listed for just under $160,000 caught my eye. I didn’t know what the building was like, or whether there was a view. (A well-written listing it was not.) But—another whim—I decided to make an appointment to see it.
I’m pet-sitting at Vista Mar while my friends Sami and Roberto vacation in Panama’s highlands. It’s a simple exchange…I get a free stay at a beautiful beach apartment and they get someone they trust to take care of Chico and Spartacus, their rescue cat. These gigs are relatively easy to find in Panama’s expat communities.
Like so many others, I grew up thinking of the U.S. as “the” land of opportunity. As if there were only one. After 16 years in Panama, I know better. Panama is clearly a land of opportunity, too. Turns out, it’s one of the best out there. And many expats…from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and beyond…have found it’s easier to live and work in Panama...
Panama boasts cool mountain havens and country hamlets…miles and miles of beaches along the Pacific and Caribbean… and of course, a modern capital famous for its sparkling skyline. With so many destinations and climates to choose from, planning a scouting trip can feel like an impossible task...
Panama has so much to offer, from mountain havens boasting year-round mild temperatures to colonial towns where the traditions of grand old Spain have shaped and enriched the local culture. But it’s Panama’s sunny beaches that get the most attention…and with good reason.
If you like the idea of living close to big city comforts and an international airport, then you’ll want to take a closer look at Costa del Este, Panama. East of Panama City’s San Francisco sector you’ll find new developments with much to offer...
Have you ever lived in a cosmopolitan capital where you could rent an upscale apartment for under $1,000 a month? An apartment walking distance from a sparkling blue bay, a large “parks and recreation” area, a metro rail, trendy restaurants, shops, and a nice supermarket? Perhaps even a mall housing a movie theater, Starbucks, and an outdoor pub?
Here in Panama City, I invariably feel like the summer is made up entirely of Sundays. And by that I mean a succession of slow, serene, drink-it-all-in days. I wake up and draw back my bedroom curtains, knowing what I’ll find. Cheerful sunshine. A cornflower-blue morning with no threat of rain. Just a few great white puffs of cloud...
Sunny days in Panama are made for tropical treats. Rum-laced cocktails sipped from swinging hammocks…fried fish and cold beer on a pristine beach…lantern-lit dinners of fresh ceviche (a seafood dish typically cured in citrus juices) with mango or passionfruit…
“When our beautiful view is the Pacific Ocean and the warm breeze blows through our condo, we hardly feel like we are confined. If we have to stay in for an extended period of time because of Coronavirus restrictions, we are okay with that. We love it here,” says Jo Anne Burrill of her adopted hometown of Coronado...